So Confused
by Godaime-Sama530
Summary: Sakura has always thought of Naruto as an idiot, a troublemaker, a menace ... and a close friend. What happens when she realizes he can be more than a close friend? And just when Sasuke returns too.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…_

_Author's Note: This is my first fanfic ever!:):D … The idea for this story just came to me when I was watching T.V. seriously; soap operas can really give you a leg up.:P_

_It's a NaruSaku and I'm planning on making it a two-shot. Takes place about two years after Shippuuden. Please read and review!_

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Another day had ended. The busy sounds and vivacious energy of the village of Konoha was lost on Haruno Sakura as she made her way through the streets. She was tired, so very tired. Her pink hair was already coming out of the ponytail it had been in during the operation that took a place an hour prior, and her clothes were ceased badly.

The day hadn't been all that bad. Sasuke had gone round to visit her during one of her breaks, offering an invitation for lunch. She had agreed, wanting to escape the confines of the hospital and the blissful moments that followed couldn't have made her any happier. After all, she barely got to spend time with her boyfriend.

Seeing her apartment coming into view, she quickened her pace, eager to take a nice, warm bath before hitting the sack. She reached the door and fumbled inside her purse for her keys, feeling slightly light-headed. She swiped them out once she found them and dug them inside the keyhole, satisfied to hear the click.

Sakura sighed as she stumbled into her apartment, closing the door behind her with her foot. She yawned and slipped off her sandals at the doorway, hooking her keys in their holder as she did.

"Finally arrived?" a voice greeted her as she entered the living room. Eyes widening, she stopped in her tracks, feeling her heart starting to beat faster. She narrowed her eyes as she heard quiet laughter following the two words said and she clenched her hands into fists.

"Calm down, Sakura-chan," the image of Uzumaki Naruto sprawled onto her couch met her eyes as he turned on the small lamp beside him. She focused on him a little, taking in his condition. His blonde hair was ruffled all over the place and his fringe was matted down, half-covering his sapphire-blue orbs. Sakura noticed that he wasn't wearing his forehead protector and this told her that he was already done with training. He wasn't wearing his jacket either.

"How did you get in, Naruto?" Sakura asked, her fear vanishing only to be replaced with anger. "Who told you to come at a time like this?"

"I'm a ninja," replied Naruto simply, lazily grinning at her. "Abilities beyond the ordinary, you know …"

Sakura ignored this and instead left the room to get herself a glass of water. Hearing soft footsteps behind her, she frowned to notice Naruto following. Sighing again, this time in exasperation, she turned around to face him. "What do you want? I'm so unbelievably tired right now, Naruto – could you please just come back in the morning?"

"Can't."

"Listen, if you've got injuries that need healing, why don't you go straight to the hospital? They'll fix you up in no ti-"

"You know what I want, Sakura-chan."

Sakura was silenced by that once sentence, it's meaning slowly sinking into her mind. Her eyes softened slowly and her jaw relaxed. Right. He was here not to annoy her, or to get any injuries healed. She bit her bottom lip and turned to walk towards the kitchen. She was however, stopped by a strong hand clasping hold of her wrist and was swung back round. She found herself staring deep into his endless blue eyes, full of intent. "Naruto …"

She pushed aside her thoughts and fixed her feet in an attempt to face him, refusing. She swallowed hard as she saw him smirk. Like a predator hunting its prey. He stopped only inches from her, lifting his hands to trace circles on her hips. Flinching, she shifted backwards, feeling more and more vulnerable.

He moved in closer until he had her cornered between himself and the wall. Her eyes widening again, she tensed and felt him place his hands on her waist to hold her in place.

"Please, Naruto …" she whispered, feeling herself about to give in.

Naruto brought his head closer to hers till she felt his warm breath caressing her pink lips which had parted slightly. His mouth was still curved upwards, giving him a rather foxy look and when he ran his tongue over his dry lips, it brushed her bottom lip.

His hands were suddenly around her waist, yanking her against his lean frame. "Please Sakura-chan …" he breathed into her ear, making her shiver involuntarily.

And with that, he closed the short distance between them, pressing his lips against hers very slowly. She stiffened as he continued his ministrations, his kisses ever so light. He pulled back for a moment and before claiming her lips again, adding a little pressure onto them. She felt herself unwillingly melt against him and couldn't help kissing back, the walls that she had so desperately tried to built crashing down around her. She gasped as he ran his mouth downwards towards her neck and that seemed to have done it. He began fervently kissing her throat, his grip around her tightening. Sakura's hands entwined themselves in his hair and she tilted her chin to expose more of her throat to him. He growled against her skin and nipped her pulse, running his hands across her slim waist.

"Naruto …" Sakura moaned, giving a feeble protest and failing greatly. She shuddered as he scraped his teeth against her neck, knowing she was fighting a losing battle.

Her fatigue from earlier had totally disappeared, leaving room for the desire the man in front of her had sparked up. Without warning, Naruto reached up and kissed her again. Sakura whimpered helplessly against him, trembling as he slipped his hands beneath her red shirt to stroke her stomach. A bright blush painted her cheeks and she broke away from their kiss when she felt a jerking in the back of her head. She was pulled back towards him in another kiss as she felt her hair fall out of the ponytail it had been held in. His tongue was exploring her mouth now, effectively making her breathless.

"Sakura?"

Sakura's eyes went wide and she pulled away from Naruto. The two of them were panting, staring at each other, horrified. A knock was heard at the door and Sakura again heard her name being called.

"Shit," Naruto whispered, removing his hands from around her. He frowned, stepping backwards. Sakura immediately felt disappointed as she felt the warmth engulfing her diminishing.

"Sakura, open the door," the visitor said again, knocking louder. "It's me, Sasuke."

Sakura straightened herself off the wall before looking at Naruto, her eyes pleading with him to leave. Naruto seemed to understand. She watched him walk through the hallway and towards the living room, ready to escape through the open window he had come in through.

"I'm coming," Sakura called to Sasuke, stopping in front of the mirror in the entrance hall to fix herself up. She quickly ran her fingers through her disheveled pink hair before tying it back up in a ponytail and she smoothed down the front of her shirt.

Sakura opened the front door after taking a quick look in the living room to make sure Naruto had really gone. Sure enough, there was Sasuke, looking down at her in confusion and a hint of concern.

"What took you so long?"

"Oh – nothing!" Sakura said, ushering him inside. "I was getting ready to take a bath, that's all."

"Hn," Sasuke seemed convinced. He took a seat on her couch, the same one that was occupied by Naruto a few minutes ago. Sakura hurriedly sat down next to him, trying not to look suspicious. "So, what did you want?"

"I was hoping you catch you before you went to sleep," Sasuke murmured. "I was lucky."

Sakura nodded, "Do you want some tea while you're here?"

"Sure."

Sakura made her way to the kitchen, extremely glad that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She hastily gulped down a glass of water while she waited to the pot to start boiling. When she came back into the living room, she found Sasuke staring into space, deep in thought.

"What's the matter?" she asked, placing the tray on the coffee table in front of them. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Actually," Sasuke sat up straighter, averting his gaze away from her. "There is."

Sakura took a seat beside him again, watching him closely. He reached out and took his cup, giving her time to study his features. Apart from his features, which all looked remarkably stunning each and every day, there was something different about him. It definitely wasn't there during their lunch date earlier in the day and Sakura had a bad feeling about it.

"It's about … Naruto."

Sakura felt as if somebody had pushed her off the edge of a cliff and into the raging torrents below. Trying to calm her racing heart, she put on a cool façade as she said, "Oh. What about him?"

_Has he found out? How? Nobody knows about this!_

"He's … been acting very strange lately. Not himself at all, in fact."

"I see."

Sasuke kept his eyes fixed on his cup, watching the steam rise up in characteristic spirals. "We were sparring off the other day. He seemed … stronger than the last time we faced off. So much more … serious."

Sakura found it strange to see Sasuke talking like this. Sure they were together, but he would never talk like this towards her. He was always so quiet. Unless he had something troubling him. Sakura felt her anxiety rise with each second ticking away.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?" Sasuke finally turned to look at her, his onyx-black eyes boring into hers. She quickly looked away, suddenly finding the pale carpeting very interesting.

"N-no. I didn't know …" she stammered. Her heart was beating so fast she was certain he could hear it. An oddly uncomfortable silence followed after that; Sakura didn't know what to do with herself.

"Of course you wouldn't," Sasuke spoke at last, and she looked up in shock. She felt a stab of guilt and regret when she saw him smiling genuinely at her. He placed his cup back on the table and turned to her, his smile never wavering. "It was just bothering me. I suppose that's the reason I came to you …"

"Oh," Sakura felt her heart grow cold. She felt like crying when he leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. The same lips which were being kissed passionately by Naruto.

"I'd better head off now," Sasuke said, standing up. He walked towards the front door with Sakura behind him. "Take some rest now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura mumbled and he turned to look at her. "I'm sure Naruto would be all better. Maybe he's just going through something right now … he'll come through."

Sasuke nodded and stepped out of her apartment, "Hmm, I agree."

He smiled at her once more and she felt like dropping to her knees, "Thank you, Sakura."

She watched him walk away, wanting to follow him and confess everything. But she did not. As he disappeared from sight, she backed into her apartment and slowly closed the door. Feeling tears starting to well up in her eyes, she leaned her back against it and slid to the floor. She sat with her knees drawn to her chest and buried her face in her arms, feeling terrible about herself. A tear ran down her cheek, followed by another one. She didn't bother to wipe them off, knowing that it would be useless to do so when more would accompany them.

_One year ago …_

Sakura gasped as she felt Sasuke's lips being pressed against her own. She heard someone near them whistle loudly and hoot, at once bringing a blush on her cheeks. It was while before Sasuke broke away, but when he did, he was giving her a small smile. Sakura felt radiant. It was as if all her dreams had come true. They had succeeded in bringing him back, and at the same time they had brought a stop to the plans of the Akatsuki. Now, he was returning her feelings with this simple gesture.

_I've died and gone to heaven_, she thought, feeling slightly dazed. Who knew Sasuke was capable of making her go through such sensations such as this. Whatever he was on the outside, he was ten times as satisfactory on the inside.

"Forehead-girl!" she heard Ino screech as if from a mile away. She sluggishly turned to look at her best friend, who was staring at her, looking scandalized. Shikamaru was standing beside her, shaking his head. "Troublesome woman."

It had been about a week after they had brought Sasuke back to the village. He was still charged, yes, but the Godaime Hokage had given Naruto and Sakura permission to let him into the celebratory party being held by the Rookie Nine. Team Guy was also there, and they caught a glimpse of many faces they knew by sight. It was as if everyone knew about the gathering. It wasn't actually surprising. Sakura chuckled weakly. Naruto had made sure to tell everyone about it.

_Naruto._ Sakura frowned and her eyes wandered over the people around them, searching for the troublemaker. She could have sworn he was here beside them a minute ago. Excusing herself politely from Sasuke, she started looking for Naruto. It seemed as if everyone was so caught up in the entertainment that they didn't notice anything that went on around them. _Besides my kiss with Sasuke-kun,_ Sakura thought, blushing again.

She finally moved out of the hustle of the triumphant bash and walked near the end of the street they were holding the party in. No one seemed to around outside the entrance. She turned the corner of the street, fully intent on finding him, when she become aware of a lone figure making his way onward under the moonlight. He had his hands stuffed deep into his pant pockets and his blonde hair swayed amiably in the breeze. Sakura hurried forward, her feet starting to ache due to the fact she had been walking around in her heels. "Naruto!"

To her dismay, she saw that he hadn't stopped. She huffed and sped up till she was walking beside him. "Naruto? Wait up, where are you going?"

His head was bent down and his eyes were cast to the ground, peculiarly darkened. His mouth was set in a grim line, making him seem so much … serious. Sakura sighed in frustration and grabbed his arm, making him stop walking, "Naruto! Would you please just look at me!"

Sakura instantly regretted saying that. When he looked down at her, she felt as if she was drowning in his deep gaze which was so full of feeling. His eyebrows met and he pulled his arm away from her grasp, "Why are you following me, Sakura-chan? You should go back to the party."

"Naruto, what's wrong?" she asked, her anger fading away. She was now uneasy, "What happened? Why are you like this?"

"Yeah, like you wouldn't know …" Naruto mumbled and walked onwards, leaving her shocked. Sakura stood there for a second before following him once more, aiming to get the answers she needed out of him.

"Naruto, at least tell me what's the matter," she said.

Naruto stopped and she almost bumped into him. With his back facing her, he spoke out, "I just want to leave. I'm still not supposed to be feeling this way about you … I can't feel this way about you."

Sakura blinked, now confused. "What are you -?"

"You don't get it, do you Sakura-chan?" Naruto now turned around, his eyes set with determination. He took hold of her by her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye, "I'm selfish. I'm so incredibly selfish … I promised you I'd bring Sasuke back, and I thought that would make everything all better again. But everything's just getting worse."

"How?" she whispered, barely hearing the words coming out of her mouth. Just then, she remembered seeing Naruto's face before Sasuke kissed her back at the party. She couldn't seem to place it in her mind what expression he held, but now when she looked back on it, she understood. Hurt. Despair. Regret.

What Naruto said next shook her even more. He raised a hand and cupped her cheek gently, "I … I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan."

Sakura listened as he continued, "I told myself that I'd bring Sasuke back; I wanted to see you happy again. You love him, right? Yeah, that's what I told myself … my feelings shouldn't get in the way of your happiness. Why, Sakura-chan? Why do you still make me feel this way, then? What's in you that makes me just want to …"

He trailed off and dropped his hand which had been stroking her cheek, to his side. He looked down and smiled sadly, "It's just … I-I've always admired you, I guess. And now, when Sasuke was gone, we both worked hard together to get him back. During that time, I felt closer than ever to you … and in way, even though those times were bad, I enjoyed them."  
Sakura stared at him in disbelief. All of a sudden, she started feeling horrid. She shook her head, "Naruto, I-I don't understand …"

"Now that Sasuke's back, we can't work together no more. He's here and I guess your happiness is fulfilled … I'm sorry if I'm being mean but … I think I'd leave early tonight."

And he turned to walk back away from her. Sakura's bottom lip started trembling. She couldn't believe he was being so selfless. Not selfish like he said.

She had always thought Sasuke was the right guy for her. Always. She was always set on bringing him back that she never gave any other boys a chance to get really close to her. Except Naruto, that is. Now she realized something. The Jinchuuriki was always there for her, every time. And she had been right next to him, watching him as he went through all the dangers that came at him. She had been so worried, so anxious for his safety that she didn't notice that they had established a bond together. And she didn't want to let all that go. Sakura closed her eyes briefly. She was torn in two, not knowing where to go.

She reached out a hand towards him, "W-Wait, Naruto."

He stopped walking. A silent moment passed between them as Sakura pondered over what to do. When she made no move, Naruto walked onwards. Not wanting to let him go that easy, she ran till she was right in front of him. "Naruto, look at me."

She reached up and placed her hands over the sides of his face, making him glance down at her. She bit her lip and sighed, "I … I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm the one who's selfish. Not you … and I never give you what you want. But that's all going to change."

Naruto blinked, now confused. Sakura smiled and whispered, "Just give me some time, alright? Sasuke-kun's not the only one I'm confused over right now …"

Naruto didn't have time to even answer as she had leaned forward and for a vague second their lips brushed. Almost afterwards, they blushed and pulled away.

"You'll wait?" Sakura asked, staring into his eyes.

Naruto smiled, "I'll wait."

_Author's Note: I hope I didn't make Sakura's character turn out that bad. The next chapter will be posted as soon as possible!:) Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto._

_Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for all your reviews! You've no idea how happy I am! They really inspired me and gave me ideas for this chapter, so here you are, as promised: the second and final chapter of So Confused!:D_

_I'm so sorry it took so long to update! A lot of problems got in the way – PC got busted, exams … etc. Hope this chapter goes to your liking!_

_Ok, let's begin! Enjoy the chapter and please review!_

_PS. I had to re-upload this, cause the ending was too quick for my liking._

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Naruto walked along at a steady pace, enjoying the stillness of the night around him. His heart was still beating quite fast, seeing as he had, a moment ago escaped Sakura's apartment just in time before they were caught. His cheeks were slightly tinted and his lips were tingling from the passionate kisses they had shared. He reached up and ran a hand through his blonde hair, feeling an odd combination of relief and regret.

Training had taken place longer than he expected that day, and as soon as it ended, Naruto planned on getting home as quickly as possible. He only had one objective on his mind: to get some rest. However, that didn't happen because Naruto found his feet taking him to a certain apartment belonging to a certain someone. He didn't know what had gotten into him then, thinking about her now of all times. But he just couldn't help himself from doing what he did.

Naruto shook his head sharply. No. He had to control his feelings if he wanted things to work out the way he wanted them to. But it didn't look as if they would turn out right. _Sasuke has her in the palm of his hand …_

As soon as he reached his house, he went in and staggered into his bedroom. He sighed and started rummaging through his closet, looking for some clothes to wear after he had taken a bath.

"_Just give me some time, alright?"_

Naruto, after much seeking, pulled out some loose black pants. Nodding to himself, he started getting ready for his long-awaited bath. He started to relax a bit more once he sank into his bathtub, basking in the warm water. Steam started to rise a while later, clouding the bathroom and his surroundings.

"_Sasuke-kun's not the only one I'm confused over right now …"_

Naruto groaned, covering his face with his hands. His eyes were squeezed shut, trying desperately to clear his mind. He was never used to overanalyzing things, but for some reason, he just couldn't get her out of his head. Her warm smile, emerald-green eyes filled with emotion, her soft pink hair … everything about her was just so unique.

"Get a grip, Naruto," he murmured hoarsely to himself. He reached out across the tub to take the soap from the side. He started massaging his arm, feeling at ease as he rubbed at his aching muscles. He felt like sinking beneath the water and staying under, never wanting to surface again to face harsh reality.

But he knew that that would never solve anything. In ten minutes, Naruto had rinsed himself clean and changed into the pants he had picked out. He didn't really feel like wanting to eat anything, which was a first for him considering he had packets and packets of instant ramen loaded in his kitchen cupboards. But it was necessary for his strength. He found himself waiting in the kitchen standing beside the stove, on which a pot of boiling water was bubbling. His hair was still slightly wet from the bath he took, softly poking up in small spikes and he hadn't really bothered putting on a shirt. While he was looking outside the kitchen window, his thoughts strayed back to _her_. Why hadn't she chosen yet? Why was she making it so much harder for him?

She had a dangerous effect on him. Not only him, but Sasuke too. He had seen a change in Sasuke that was never before there, now that he returned Sakura's feelings. He knew Sasuke felt differently about her than he used to, and Naruto felt like an idiot, thinking about how rejected the Uchiha would feel if Sakura chose the blonde instead. Naruto would feel horrible, knowing he had inflicted a pain onto his close friend. A pain he so often felt himself.

Naruto turned back to the stove and, finding his dinner was ready, turned off the gas before pouring the content contained within the pot in a bowl. He inhaled deeply as the zesty aroma of miso ramen met his nose. He reached out towards the shelf, plucked out two chopsticks from the set he kept and made his way slowly back to his bedroom. He settled down on the bed, absent-mindedly shifting the ramen in the bowl round. Naruto's blue eyes were set on a picture he kept on his desk; a picture taken nearly six years ago. He smirked slightly as he studied his sensei's face. It was obvious to see, even if it was concealed by that bothersome mask, that he wanted the picture to be decent. Something that made him smile whenever he looked at it.

_Well, he got what he wanted … _Naruto inwardly chuckled, and his eyes moved down to look at his twelve-year-old self. He had his arms crossed, scowling across at his teammate who he had just been bickering with. His sensei's hand was placed on his head, messing up the blonde hair Naruto kept so well-defined, while his other hand rested on the other boy's head. Sasuke was too, frowning, but he kept his eyes on the camera instead of looking back at Naruto.

And finally, Naruto glanced down at the girl standing amongst them. Sakura was the only one who looked … normal enough. Or that was what the irritated photographer had said (Naruto figured everyday with his bizarre team was normal). She had her eyes closed in a grin, and her hands were clenched tightly making her look intensely happy.

Naruto sighed helplessly, looking down at his bowl. He felt as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Putting his bowl and chopsticks aside, Naruto stood up, his appetite now fully gone. He felt so … guilty.

He didn't want to keep doing this. Kissing and groping her all the time behind Sasuke's back. It was just wrong. She had said she hadn't chosen yet, but what difference did it make when she was officially going out with Sasuke. Naruto shook his head. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if Sasuke found out. He had to stop this.

_But, _he thought, glumly. _I just don't want to let go of her …_

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Early the next morning, Naruto and Sakura were both summoned to the Hokage office. They weren't informed of what they were called for, so they were both curious and wary at the same time.

Tsunade looked up from where she was deciphering a scroll, her fingers interlinked beneath her chin. She leaned forward, her elbows supporting her, and said in a clear, loud voice, "Naruto, Sakura. Come in …"

They walked inside, Sakura's posture straight and Naruto slouching along. Tsunade watched as her apprentice prodded Naruto sharply in the ribs for acting so casually in front of the village head, making him wince. He hesitated before straightening up.

Tsunade sighed consciously and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she saw Sakura look at Naruto warningly. Shaking her head, the Godaime proceeded with what she wanted them here for.

She took hold of the scroll she had been studying and started rolling it up, speaking as she did so. "I suppose you two are wondering why I called you here."

"Heck yeah, we are," Naruto mumbled, yawning. "I can't handle waking up this early, Baa-chan …"

Tsunade ignored him and continued, "Just recently, about a week ago I presume, there came a letter from a chief of a small town just in the outskirts of the Fire Country. He was in a need of … assistance from our shinobi."

Before Sakura could open her mouth to say something, Tsunade cut her across, "And the job he requires you two, the chosen ones, to do is simple. The two of you will be leaving for Tanzaku Town first thing tomorrow … and you'll also have to disguise yourself when you get there."

"Toshihiro-san, the chief lord, will recognize you, disguised or not. You'll be staying there for a whole week. He needs you to spy on a certain guest and, if needed, to kill him."

"But Tsunade-shishou," said Sakura, her brows knitted in confusion. "Why exactly does he need us to spy on a guest for?"

Tsunade sat back and folded her arms across her abdomen. "It looks like I haven't explained the details clearly. You two will be headed to Tanzaku Town tomorrow, disguised. Toshihiro-san will be meeting up with that guest in a restaurant to discuss a matter concerning his only daughter, whom I must add, was the same age as you Sakura."

She studied Naruto and Sakura closely to see they were listening attentively. She knew they felt confused at the way she spoke of Toshihiro's daughter in the past tense. Clearing her throat, she said, "That guest, Minoru Junichi is a member of a very powerful clan. Sakura, you will disguise yourself as Toshihiro-san's daughter … for you see, Minoru Junichi was her husband."

Naruto had had a bad feeling about this the moment he stepped into the office, and now it was confirmed. He heard a small gasp to his side and turned to see Sakura staring wide-eyed at the Hokage. He could tell she had already worked out what she had to do.

"You'll be joining them in their meeting as his daughter. Naruto will be nearby, prepared to attack if necessary … Toshihiro-san wants Minoru dead."

There was silence in the room after Tsunade spoke. Naruto knew there was more to this than was being said, so he walked forward. "What else is there, Baa-chan? Why does he want him dead?"

"It is believed Minoru is in alliance with a group of enemy ninja. He himself is not a good person, from what Toshihiro-san told me in the letter … for one thing, he's very harsh on his wife," Tsunade quickly glanced at Sakura to find her pale. "This would be very difficult on our village if he were to continue living."

She straightened herself up, "Sakura. Since you look startlingly similar to Kotone, Toshihiro-san's daughter, you'll have to be exceptionally careful. I know you would have been more satisfied if Sasuke went with you, but I'm afraid he's on a mission right now. The person closest to you other than him is Naruto, so that's why I arranged for you two instead."

Sakura blushed and shook her head, "No, it's fine. I don't have a problem with Naruto coming with me …"

Naruto didn't dare look at her. Instead he listened on when Tsunade fixed her gaze on him. "I want you to take care of Sakura. Minoru is dangerous, and if he's angered, he'll most likely lash out on Sakura."

"But where's his real wife?" Naruto asked.

"Dead."

That one word brought a chill up Naruto's spine. His eyes widened and knew Sakura was experiencing the same feeling he was. Tsunade stood up and walked to the window, "There's something not right about Minoru. His actions probably caused her death and he doesn't know of it. Since he always depended on her, there's no telling what he would do if he found out she was dead …"

She turned around, her brown eyes set hard round the edges. "Toshihiro-san wants him dead, and you'll do it within this week. I want you two to get ready for tomorrow's trip. Dismissed."

As they turned to leave, Tsunade called to Sakura, "Wait Sakura. I want to have a word with you alone."

Naruto looked at Sakura and gave her a reassuring smile, although he felt tense inside. "I'll wait for you outside, Sakura-chan."

"It's alright, Naruto," Sakura replied, her voice barely a whisper. Naruto looked back one last time before leaving through the door.

When Sakura came out of the building, Naruto swore she looked more edgy and panicked than when he last saw her. He quickly joined her by her side as she walked down the street. "Sakura-chan, what did Baa-chan want with you?"

Sakura sniffed and shook her head, smiling, "I-It was nothing, Naruto. Forget it."

Naruto could see that her smile was forced. He sighed, knowing it was useless to expand the matter. He knew Tsunade had said something serious, something that concerned the mission they had to take on. But Sakura was stubborn. She'd never tell him what was wrong if she didn't want to.

They stopped at the corner of the street. Kids ran past them, laughing and shouting as they kept engaged in their activities. Nearby, a woman was shouting herself hoarse at her husband. Sounds of metal clashing against metal were heard from all over, telling them that ninja had resumed once again in their training sessions.

"I guess we should get ready then," Sakura said, breaking the silence between them.

Naruto looked down at her from the corner of his eye, feeling more concerned at the look on her face. There was something she was obviously trying to hide, but she was failing considerably. He decided to give her some space and nodded, "Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Sakura-chan."

Sakura nodded and turned around, her head bowed. "Hmm. Take care, Naruto."

Naruto watched as she walked further and further away. He narrowed his eyes, whispering, "You too, Sakura-chan …"

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Sakura spent the rest of that day packing her things for the mission. She wanted to badly take her mind of off what was bothering her, but she just couldn't. Her mind kept replaying the conversation she had with Tsunade alone.

"_Yes, Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura asked._

"_I'm only telling you this alone, Sakura because I know if Naruto hears this, he wouldn't want you to take on this mission," Tsunade stated, her tone making it clear Sakura was not to tell Naruto anything about what she was about to inform her._

"_This mission would come in useful for you as your skills as a kunoichi would definitely enhance. It's also likely that your rank would develop too._

_When I mean that Minoru was harsh on his wife, I really did mean that. So it's possible that he'd try and … take advantage of you …"_

_Sakura felt her blood run cold. She tried to keep a straight face as Tsunade continued, "Of course, that would be after the meeting with Toshihiro-san. I suggest you don't struggle. As I said before, he's a very dangerous man; a Jounin to be exact. But it all depends on his mood. Try to distract him, and then if the opportunity comes, kill him."_

_Sakura nodded, the words sinking into her mind._

"_Alright, then. That's all I need to tell you," Tsunade sighed and turned away from Sakura. "Toshihiro-san will explain more once you two arrive at Tanzaku Town … and Sakura. Be careful."_

Sakura took hold of the kunai knife she had placed on the bedside table and slipped it into her kunai holster. It felt so much heavier than it normally did. She took in a deep breath, sitting down on her bed.

Why was she so worried? It was her duty as kunoichi of the leaf village to perform missions and complete them successfully. And this mission was supposed to be no different than any other. She had been on way more dangerous missions than this. She had nothing to worry about. Even if Minoru Junichi was a part of a powerful clan, she had Naruto beside her. And Naruto was one of the strongest people she had ever met.

Sakura stood up and made her way towards her closet. If she had to disguise herself as Toshihiro's daughter, then she'd have to be prepared.

The blustery weather the next morning was dreadful. Dark clouds hung in the air, threatening to rain and there was an odd gust in the air, so unlike the pleasant breeze they were always used to.

_Heh … figures, _Sakura thought as she made her way towards the front gates of the village. There she was, all packed and ready to go. Her backpack, crammed with all the things she'd need, was strapped to her shoulders and she wore her normal outfit comprising of a red sleeveless top and pink skirt over dark shorts.

As she neared the front gates, she caught sight of Naruto. He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded, looking solemn. He looked deep in thought. Sakura bit her lip and quickened her pace, eager to leave and get it on with.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto looked up and watched her approach the gates. He straightened up from his inclined position against the wall and joined her before the exit from Konoha. Staring intently at her, he noticed she looked … disheartened. Her eyes were dull and she was trying to avoid looking at him, he knew.

"Let's go," Sakura said, and Naruto looked up at the ninja positioned on the wall above the gateway. He held up his hand, motioning him to open the gates and the ninja nodded. Slowly the gates before them opened outwards, welcoming a glow of sunlight onto them.

Naruto shielded his eyes with his hand, startled by the light. When he lowered his hand again, he saw that Sakura had already taken off, her pink hair flying behind her.

He mumbled and followed her, feeling slightly disgruntled by her behavior. Within seconds, he was running beside her in a speed which only shinobi could run at. Sakura still ignored him, concentrating on the familiar path to Tanzaku Town ahead of them and Naruto knew she was trying to evade the question he would bring up sooner or later.

"Sakura-chan," he spoke up after five minutes of silence. He turned his head to look at her and saw she had narrowed her eyes in attention. He swallowed and continued, "Shouldn't we slow down? The town's not that far off and we'd need our strength to complete this task."

He waited for her reply. They were nearing the small bridge over the river which separated their course from the town. Feeling she wasn't going to answer, Naruto slowed down at the access, taking hold of the red railings.

To his surprise, Sakura stopped as well. She breathed in deeply before nodding in agreement. Naruto sighed in relief and loosened his hold on the railings.

"I think it would be better if we hurry up, Naruto," she said, turning to look at him. "We could finish this mission quicker."

Naruto stared at her. She seemed so confident, yet there was something about her that made her look anxious. He snapped out of his thoughts when Sakura waved her fingers in front of his face. "Oi, Naruto?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." The words came out of his mouth before Naruto could stop them and he mentally kicked himself. But he found himself suddenly optimistic when Sakura flashed him a grateful smile. He begun to follow her again and noticed that this time, she had slowed down a little.

They stopped by a temple on the way to rest and freshen up. The sun probably would have been high in the air if it weren't for the rain clouds. When Sakura suggested they keep moving, Naruto couldn't help but agree. It was almost sundown when they reached the entrance of the town, and it looked as upbeat as ever.

"Woah," Naruto breathed out as they stepped in. He glanced around, eyes sparkling at the lights and uproar of the crowd. "It's sure been a while since I've come here."

Sakura stayed quiet but he was sure she was just as astounded as he was. They made their way through the throng of people and shinobi alike, not quite sure where to go. Sellers called to them from both sides of the street but they excused them politely and went on, keen to find Toshihiro.

"This is no use," Sakura said once they reached the center of the town. They had already explored one-half of the area and night had fallen, making the lights in the place seem more vibrant and spirited.

Naruto looked up and down the packed street, his eyes searching for Toshihiro. Tsunade had shown them both his picture and they had made sure to memorize each detail. He frowned and scratched his head. "We won't be able to find Toshihiro-san like this. There must be thousands of people here … why don't we search for a hotel to stay in and then eat dinner?"

Sakura stared at him, her eyebrows raised. Her cheeks had gone slightly pink. Naruto stumbled to correct himself. "I-I mean, we could find Toshihiro-san tomorrow as well. Why not have a good time right now?"

After a moment's hesitation, Sakura complied and they set about to look for a hotel to stay the night in. Naruto thought about going to the one where he and Jiraiya had stayed in a few years ago but was unable to recall where it was located.

Quite a few hotels were filled with guests and it was hard to find one which wasn't. It was only by a stroke of luck (or that was what Sakura called it) that they were able to find a hotel at the edge of the town. It wasn't too large, and it wasn't too small.

The receptionist at the desk was a thin, pale-faced spectacled woman. She kept pushing up her glasses each time they slid down her nose, giving the two a vague image of Orochimaru's certain assistant. Fortunately, the hotel was not packed. Unfortunately, there was only one vacant room which a man wanted to book just as badly as the two of them.

After a lot of shouts, swearing and a couple of punches to the face, Naruto managed to get the room booked. The man however, stomped out with a broken nose and black eyes.

"Naruto, did you really have to do that?" Sakura asked, half-amused, half-annoyed as they made their way up the stairs towards their room. She studied the interior of the building. It wasn't too glamorous, which probably explained why there was one room left while the other hotels were jam-packed.

"The guy was really getting on my nerves," Naruto fumed. "Seriously – we've practically searched the entire town for one room and what do we find …"

Sakura lost track of his sentence as her mind whirled around two words that Naruto shouted out. One room. Only one room. Then that meant …

"Naruto," Sakura stopped him mid-sentence with her eyes wide open. His mouth had opened to say something but now he looked at her, confused.

"Yeah?"

"Did you only book one room?"

Naruto nodded, "Yes, I did … oh …"

His face dawned with realization and he slapped his hand on his forehead. "What the heck?!"

They stopped in front of a door at the end of the corridor they had been walking in. Room Fourteen. Naruto twirled the keys once in his hand and worked on unlocking the door. Sakura could hear him murmuring under his breath. "Please be two beds, please be two beds, please be two beds."

Sakura would've laughed at his condition if she wasn't feeling the same way right now. It wasn't as if they hadn't gotten intimate before. Sakura's face burned as her mind brought her back to the night Naruto had snuck into her house. That was the first bravest act he had ever done, besides the kissing. But she still had trouble thinking about sharing a bed with him.

"Sakura-chan?"

She was snapped back to reality by Naruto. He had opened the door. Sakura looked inside and groaned, clutching her pink hair in her fist. There, situated right in front of them, was a bed. A bed. And it was just like the one she kept in her bedroom. Made specifically for one person only.

"I'll take the floor!" she heard Naruto volunteer from beside her.

Sakura bit her lip, her mind processing over what to do. If there was a couch in the room, then there wouldn't have been any problem since any one of them could take it (most likely Naruto). But unluckily, there wasn't and there was the problem. She felt there was no other option but to share.

She walked into the room and flung her backpack onto the table, feeling surprisingly pleased to hear the dull thud. Naruto followed and immediately sat down on the chair near the window, working on taking off his sandals.

"The floor's gonna be a bit chilly," Sakura told him as she took a seat on the bed.

Naruto started rubbing the soles of his right foot, "I've been through worse …"

"But you won't this time," Sakura said, sternly. She paused before continuing. "I think we should share the bed."

Naruto gaped at her, "But Sakura-chan, I -"

"Not buts, Naruto," Sakura said, reaching up to tie her hair back into a ponytail. "It'll be better if you don't argue at all."

Naruto couldn't believe he was giving up without a fight. That just wasn't him. But his opponent was Haruno Sakura, and he would be better off facing Orochimaru himself than her. But after what had happened two nights ago, he didn't want to be that near her. He had to control himself. He stood up and stretched, "Fine … you win, Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled in triumph, "Exactly."

"Maybe we should go and find something to eat. Entertain ourselves while we can, ya know."

"Hmm, I agree," Sakura nodded. "Before we fully begin the mission …"

She trailed off, feeling as if someone had punched her in the stomach. The mission. That had been what was bothering her all day, and for a while, Naruto's antics had distracted her from her depressing thoughts about it. She could feel Naruto's puzzlement at how her posture had suddenly changed. Sakura smiled weakly at him. She knew how kind he had tried to be, ignoring her change in behavior. Why should she just ruin his attempts at making her feel better, when everything he did was for her sake? Real concern showed in his cerulean-blue eyes as he tried to figure out the coldness that had taken over Sakura.

"Sakura-chan?" he asked, slowly stepping closer to her. "What's the matter?"

Sakura felt the air around them dissipate; bringing forth the sensation she had felt when they had kissed two nights before. She found she couldn't tear her eyes away from his ones. His eyes seemed to hold that same intensity all of a sudden. She couldn't hold it in anymore. She had to let out what was troubling her.

"Naruto, I -" she began to say but was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming shut outside the corridor. That broke the ice. Sakura closed her mouth.

Naruto frowned, "What is it?"

Sakura looked down quickly. She couldn't tell him now. She knew how overprotective he could get and she didn't want that to ruin their mission. Quickly trying to think up a suitable reason, she blurted out, "I just wanted you to know I'm sorry."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

Sakura flushed under his gaze. She started fiddling with the hem of her skirt, "Yeah, I'm sorry. You know, for this morning … I guess I just wasn't feeling up to it. I'm sorry if I was … rude."

"Sakura-chan …"

She looked up and was surprised to find he had lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. She blinked. He was smiling genuinely, making her feel a complete fool. "You weren't being rude at all … well, maybe you were being a bit cold and all but I completely understand. This mission's got me all nervous too. Forget about it."

Sakura was speechless with how selfless he was. She could feel the heat from his hand warming her up from the contact it made with her skin. Their eyes stayed in contact, blue into green and Sakura felt something strange erupting within her.

"Let's go," Naruto said, breaking the silence as he withdrew his hand from her cheek. Sakura blinked, distracted.

"Where?"

"Find someplace to eat, I'm famished," he said and turned around towards the door.

Sakura sighed, "Yeah, sure. Just give me a minute to get ready …"

She got up from the bed and walked towards to table where she had thrown her backpack. She smiled as she got out a simple red shirt and a blue skirt, finally starting to feel a bit excited.

Clearing her throat, she turned towards Naruto who was still standing before the door. He frowned in confusion and she lifted a brow before pointing at him, "I need you out of here while I change."

Naruto nodded and was out of the room in a second, taking hold of his sandals as he left. Sakura got dressed quickly and met him on the landing, curious as to where he would take her. The spectacled receptionist gave them a quick nod as they left through the front door.

"Wow … this place really is as grand as they say," Sakura said, looking around her once they were out on the packed streets. "No wonder Tsunade-shishou comes here often."

"Yeah, she's always complaining on about installing some slot machines in the Hokage tower," Naruto murmured. He sighed and placed his hands behind his head. "If I could only just remember where that restaurant we met Baa-chan in was …"

Sakura left Naruto to do the finding. While he led her throughout the town, she noticed a few things she never did see at the village. Plays and skits were being performed in various places and there was just so much to do.

"Here we are!" Naruto shouted, coming to a halt in a narrow street. He took Sakura's hand and directed her forward before turning to the right, so that they now stood in front of a restaurant. Naruto grinned, "I knew we had to turn left from the cotton candy stall! This is the place, all right!"

Sakura shook her head as she read the name of the restaurant, "I'm not surprised Tsunade-shishou came here … and trust Jiraiya to bring you to a place prohibited for underage people …"

"Hey, I was only twelve then …"

"Exactly."

They stepped into the restaurant, amazed to find it wasn't crowded like other places were. Sakura cautiously walked in behind Naruto, frowning at the display of inappropriate pictures on the wall. Bikini-clad models, advertisements for drugs …

Naruto slid into a booth at the far end of the restaurant and Sakura sat opposite him. Not a moment too soon, a waitress hurried up to them with her clipboard clutched tightly to her chest. She ran a hand through her black hair and smiled, "Welcome. What may I get you?"

Naruto reached for the menu on the table and read through the selection. Sakura leaned forward, looking down at the list of options too.

A minute later, they had given their order and the waitress was already hurrying into the kitchen. Sakura smiled and looked at Naruto, "I'm surprised you didn't order ramen … it was on the menu, you know."

"I was in a mood for something different."

Sakura giggled, "Well, that's something different."

"I'm not really that predictable now, am I?"

"I can't answer that,"

"Sakura-chan!"

It took quite a while for the waitress to come back with their meals. Sakura inhaled the fresh, delicious aroma the food brought as it was put on the table and immediately, she realized just how hungry she was.

"Finally …" Naruto grinned and picked up a pair of chopsticks from the table. Parting then, he reached for the raw fish on his plate. "I'm really glad we get to spend at least a little time together before getting really set on this mission. Itadakimasu!"

Sakura nodded numbly, her mouth full of rice. She couldn't seem to swallow all of a sudden.

"Besides the problem with the hotel room, I'm sure we're gonna have lots of fun," Naruto said and gulped down some water. He looked across at Sakura and frowned, "Sakura-chan? What's wrong?"

Sakura shook her head, smiling at him in reassurance.

Naruto stared at her for a while, his eyes boring intently into hers before he went back to his meal. The rest of the dinner was spent in silence, which Sakura was thankful for. She managed to eat most of the food she had ordered and that was enough for her.

"What time do you think it is?" Sakura asked once Naruto had paid for the meal and they were out on the streets again. She reached up to move her pink locks out of the way of her eyes.

"It can't be too late," Naruto said. He dug his hands into his pockets, "How about we go have fun in some of the stalls?"

Sakura agreed, seeing there was nothing else to do. After buying a few goodies, winning several games and watching a short play, Naruto and Sakura made their way back to the hotel. It was now getting late and the two of them knew they would have to sleep in early to find Toshihiro in the morning. Tanzaku Town was less crowded in daybreak than it was at night.

"Well … that was fun!" Naruto stretched out his arms as he staggered into the room. Sakura stepped in from behind him, holding a Gamabunta doll in one hand and an unfinished bottle of soda in another. She placed them on the table and then made her way towards the bathroom at the far end of the room, "I'm getting ready for bed …"

Within a few minutes, she was out wearing a white shirt that was way to big for her and blue shorts. She felt unusually sleepy.

Combing out her hair lightly with her fingers, she looked over at Naruto who was searching for something inside his backpack. "Ne, Naruto? Aren't you going to sleep yet? We have to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm coming," Naruto pulled out a green shirt and trousers then walked towards the bathroom door. Sakura watched as he went inside, closing the door behind him. She sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, nervousness making way for the exhaustion she felt. She didn't know what came over her. Was it the mission? Was it just apprehension? Or was it _him_?

It seemed to take forever for Naruto to come out (or that was what it felt like to Sakura) and when he did, Sakura felt her heartbeat accelerate. She hastily wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts, not daring to look at the blonde. She sensed him walk over to the window to open it, before placing his forehead protector on the table. He then strode over to the other side of the bed. The bed sank a little as he sat down on it, his back facing Sakura.

"Night, Sakura-chan …" he mumbled, lying down.

Sakura bit her lip and turned to look at him, noticing how his shoulders seemed a bit stiff while he lay. She followed his administrations, positioning herself on the bed next to him. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she felt a wave of fear rush over her. They were going to proceed with the mission as soon as they found Toshihiro tomorrow, and then she'd have to focus upon her task at hand. Even though she had fun tonight, there was always this nagging feeling in the back of her head that had everything to do with the mission they were on. Unfortunately, Naruto became the victim for her temper. But he handled it with understanding and consideration. He had even won her a few things at the stalls, not to mention taking her out for dinner just for her happiness. "Goodnight, Naruto."

_Naruto … you always understood me. You always helped me._

Sakura reached out and closed the bedside lamp. Darkness filled the room, the only exception being the lights of the town beaming in through the window.

Naruto was always there for her. She remembered how back in the Academy, he'd strive for her attention. When she had failed to convince Sasuke not to leave, she went to Naruto. She remembered how helpless she was then.

"_Naruto …this is the only favor I will ever ask of you …bring … bring Sasuke-kun back._

_I'm sure the only person who can stop him … the only person who can save him is … Naruto … only you!"_

Sakura felt her heart throbbing with guilt. He was ready to give up on his unrequited love for her, ready to bring back Sasuke. He said it was a promise of a lifetime.

"_You really love him, huh?"_

Sakura turned to her right, facing Naruto's back. He wasn't asleep yet, she could tell by his breathing rhythm. She felt a lump in her throat. Reaching out towards him, she placed a shaking hand on his back. "N-Naruto?"

"_I can understand very well the pain that you are going through."_

There was no reply. Sakura's bottom lip trembled and her hand slowly slid down from his back and on the mattress. She closed her eyes briefly, once again feeling like a fool. Movement from next to her made her look up; Naruto was looking at her over his shoulder. "Hmm, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura blinked. She let a small smile grace her features so that she could feel more secure saying what she had to. "Can I ask you a question? … Do you … do I ..."

Naruto frowned and slowly turned over so that he was facing her. His blue eyes narrowed in attentiveness as he waited for her to continue. Sakura managed to fight off her hesitation. "Do you think … I'm bothersome?"

She mentally smacked herself. Her question didn't mean to come out like that. She watched as Naruto quirked an eyebrow. He shook his head, "No, I don't think that at all …"

There was silence for a while, till he let out a slight laugh and said, "Well … I mean, we all can be bothersome at times. I know I am. You probably are for some people too, but I can handle that. I don't mind at all."

"Hmm …" Sakura nodded, her smile fading.

"Why do you ask?"

"No … I just wanted to know," she stared Naruto in the eye. "Thank you, Naruto … for … always being there for me."

Naruto looked at her for a while, efficiently distracting her with his eyes. He then flashed her a smile, "I'll always be there for you, Sakura-chan. Always."

Sakura felt everything around her evaporate with that smile. She felt the same familiar constricting around her heart, and it all happened before she could stop herself. She leaned forward and claimed his lips.

Naruto's eyes widened as he felt Sakura's lips on his own. His heart started beating faster and there was a sudden rush of heat rushing through his body. He lay there, paralyzed, not quite knowing what to do. He felt strangely content, savoring the feel of her warm lips as they caressed his, something he hadn't felt in a long time. When Sakura began moving back, he reached round her waist and pulled her closer, bringing her in for another kiss.

The second kiss was slow, though there was heat behind it. Her hands came up and clenched at his hair while the other was holding his shirt tightly.

_This isn't supposed to be happening,_ Naruto thought as his hand started to trail down her back._ Does this mean she's chosen?_

Sakura was never this bold when it came to their 'affair'. They had only ever collaborated this way a few times since the celebratory party one year ago. After a while, Naruto pulled back, panting slightly as Sakura lightly trailed her fingertips down his cheek over the whisker marks.

"Sakura-chan," he said, huskily. He compelled his mind to bring him back to the matter at hand. Staring into her eyes, he asked, "Have you … decided?"

Silence.

Then Sakura slowly removed her hand from his cheek, and Naruto saw this as a sign of regret. He watched as she held her breath, her form stiff and ridged. Naruto felt disgrace and remorse boiling up inside of him, scratching at his heart. The answer was obvious.

"Naruto … I -" Sakura began but Naruto cut her across.

"We can't keep doing this any more, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened, realizing just how grave he was by removing the honorific from her name. "W-What?"

"You told me to wait," Naruto said, his tone serious. "And I did. But I can't wait no more, because it's not fair on Sasuke. He has no clue of what goes on between us behind his back … I … I want your answer right now, so we can free ourselves of this dilemma."

Sakura stayed silent. She was shell-shocked. The air around them was tightening again, making it hard for her to process what she was going to say.

Naruto lowered his eyelids, "He loves you … and you've got to decide for yourself who you want to be with. I'd rather see you with Sasuke instead of continuing this."

Without looking at her, he turned around with his back to her and closed his eyes, failing to see the tears of shame that fell from hers.

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Naruto was up earlier than she was the next day. The sun had already risen, casting golden light into the hotel room from the window. Sakura stood in front of the mirror of the room, fixing herself up before going to meet Naruto downstairs. With Naruto was Watanabe Toshihiro, the chief lord. It seemed that the man had managed to find them himself with the help of his many supporters. The mission had begun. Sakura stared at the picture of a girl stuck to the mirror. Tsunade had handed it to her before she had left. The girl looked to be just about Sakura's age. She had short black hair which she pulled up into a bun, emerald-green eyes the same shade as Sakura's and the sweetest smile. Overall, she looked very innocent. Sakura didn't know why anyone would be so harsh on such a pretty girl.

She sighed to herself and closed her eyes. It was time to get down to business. She performed a quick hand seal and was engulfed in smoke. She concentrated hard on the young woman's face … black hair, tanned skin …

When the smoke cleared, Sakura looked back up at the mirror, satisfied in seeing the change in her appearance. Now she perfectly resembled Watanabe Kotone. She was glad she didn't have to try to hard since she already did look like her. She was in dressed in the proper attire as well; a midnight-blue silk kimono with a white sash strapped around her waist. She bit her lip, trying hard to fight down the strong feeling of anxiety she felt. She reached up and tied her now-black hair into a bun.

Taking a deep breath, she now turned to go downstairs. Each step felt like she was carrying a boulder. She smiled innocently at a few people who passed her on the stairs, not wanting to look suspicious.

Naruto and Toshihiro looked up once she entered the lobby. Sakura stepped up to them with a determined look on her face, head held high. She watched as Toshihiro nodded in approval. To her disappointment, Naruto didn't say anything.

"I feel almost as if Kotone has come," Toshihiro said, his green eyes twinkling at the corners. "I can not thank you enough for this …"

Sakura smiled. She could almost feel the man's pain in losing his only daughter. "It isn't a problem at all, Toshihiro-san …"

She ignored the bigger, objecting part of her and followed Toshihiro as he led the way out of the inn. Naruto walked into step beside her, the silence between them unbearable.

"I've arranged to meet him in a Tea Shop just nearby here," Toshihiro said, his eyes on the road ahead. "Since it's early in the morning, I hope there wouldn't be too much rush there. I want it to be done quietly and briskly."

Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat at that. She always felt the same apprehension before any mission where she was assigned to kill. She hated it, but it was her job all the same. In this case, it would be Naruto who would finish the job. She'd only be there to distract the target.

"Naruto," Toshihiro said. "I'd rather you not be there in the midst of the meeting. He would most likely get wary if there were three persons instead of the expected two. And if the first attempt does not work …"

He turned his head towards Sakura, "You might have to go in for the kill. From what he told me, he had booked a hotel for himself and his wife, that is now, you. It would obviously be guarded by shinobi so to be safe, Naruto would follow you there."

Sakura nodded mutely, her hands clenched to fists at her sides. It was a good thing the sleeves of the kimono were large enough to cover her hands so they weren't seen shaking.

The distance to the Tea Shop was shorter than she imagined, or maybe that was how it felt. As soon as they rounded a corner street, there it was right in front of them. Sakura turned to look at Naruto, wanting desperately to apologize. She felt so utterly selfish and shameful. She felt like a slut. It wasn't until last night that she realized just how much pain she had been causing the blonde and now it was too late to do anything about it.

"Alright …" Toshihiro turned to look at Naruto. "I want you to watch the meeting undercover. If you see the chance, go in for it. But I want it done with stealth."

Naruto nodded in understanding. His eyes caught Sakura's jade ones for a moment, and as soon as she began to say something, he had turned around. Sakura bit her bottom lip, forcing herself not to succumb to tears.

"Come, Sakura," Toshihiro said, waving a hand towards the entrance. He looked at Naruto, "You may get ready if you want."

Naruto nodded quickly again, not turning towards them. Sakura, trying to ignore how nervous she was, followed Toshihiro inside. The restaurant was very grand. Tiled floors, red wallpaper and the expensive paintings on the wall made Sakura feel a bit inferior. A waitress met them in the lounge, blushing slightly. "Right this way please, Toshihiro-san …"

She led them into a private booth and immediately, Sakura caught sight of a man sitting next to the window. Her heartbeat accelerated and her eyes widened. It was him. Minoru Junichi.

She studied his features briefly. Dark hair, light grey eyes and a pointed chin. He wore a long-sleeved black shirt with grey trousers. As soon as he saw Sakura, he looked up and gave her a slow, broad smile.

"Konichiwa, Kotone-chan …" he spoke hoarsely. Sakura felt herself stiffen at his next words, "My, my, it's been a long time. Hope you've missed me as much as I've missed you …"

Outside the restaurant, Naruto began pacing to and fro. His conscience began kicking in, making him feel extremely stupid. He fisted his hands at his sides and let out a snarl, making innocent passersby look at him oddly.

_Why do I feel so guilty? I mean, I did do the right thing, didn't I? I wanted her to understand … I can't believe I've hurt her!_

He sighed and closed his eyes, calming himself down. _It's OK … concentrate on the mission. When it's all over, I can go and talk all casually and we'll be friends again! No more uncomfortable silences!_

Even if he didn't become the one she chose or her lover, he still wanted to be her friend. Someone she could depend on and go to for help. Although he still harbored that deep feeling for her inside of him, he could be ready to throw it all away and stay on good terms with her. He could move on, meet new people as long as he didn't lose her trust. He didn't want to lose her as a friend, if not as something more.

"Sakura-chan …" he breathed out. "Why do you do this to me?"

His mind went back to the mission at hand and he walked closer to the entrance of the restaurant. For now, he'd have to concentrate on the task appointed to him. He was not going to let her get hurt anymore.

Sakura did her best to try not to look too weak in front of her target. He was seated across from her, staring straight at her with those eyes of his. She couldn't help feeling completely vulnerable. She was now facing what she'd feared ever since she was given this mission.

"I hope you haven't forgotten the deal we had made, Junichi …" Toshihiro said. He was sitting next to Sakura, the tea he had ordered left untouched on the table. "Kotone had come to me over a month ago. I trust you to take care of her and also to keep the ties of our families strong. The bond has not quite been the same since that incident …"

Sakura had no clue as to what they were talking about. The only thing she could make out was that Minoru Junichi had come to take his wife back from her father, on the condition that he treated her well. Sakura thought that to be absurd.

Minoru leaned forward on his elbows so he was directly facing Sakura. She felt there was something definitely dodgy about this man. It was no wonder Toshihiro was cautious around him, so different from how he was around Sakura and Naruto.

"Of course, Toshihiro-san …" Minoru said, his voice slightly slurred. "I've taken care of every small matter since the incident you speak of … my clan does not suspect a thing anymore. And your clan won't as well …"

Sakura frowned. What incident were they talking about? Kotone's death? If that was so, then Minoru would have known and Sakura wouldn't be sitting here, disguised now.

An hour had already passed and Sakura was dreading each minute that ticked by. She hadn't ordered anything yet. She was sure she'd let her composure slip if she was left alone with Minoru Junichi.

"It's getting late, don't you think?" Minoru put down his cup and looked up at the clock on the wall. "An hour as passed already? Would you look at that, how time flies when you're having fun …"

Toshihiro stood up and Sakura followed suit. She watched as he placed a few notes on the table to pay for their 'breakfast'. Toshihiro nodded, "Yes, I agree it is late. I'll leave Kotone with you now, Junichi."

Sakura's hands started sweating. Toshihiro quickly looked at her and gave her a nod while Minoru made his way to the entrance of the restaurant. Sakura hurried up beside him, wanting it to be over as soon as possible. She turned around to look at Toshihiro one last time before Minoru slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her away from the Tea Shop.

"Toshihiro-san!" Naruto came running at the old man from around the corner of the shop. It was apparent he had been watching everything that happened till now. "Sakura-chan – she's gone with him!"

"Yes, that's right," Toshihiro said solemnly. "I only hope she won't get hurt. She's a kunoichi so it's not likely."

"So that's what she was worried about all this time!" Naruto said out loud. "How could I be so dense? You said it, she said it and yet I didn't notice! I mean – I did but I didn't think it was too much of a big deal till I saw the guy!"

He looked down, his hands shaking at his sides. _He'd better not hurt her or else …_

"Go after them, Naruto," Toshihiro folded his arms. "If you want, you can kill him before anything happens. Now go."

Naruto nodded and without wasting another second, darted off towards the streets of the town, trying his hardest to detect Sakura's chakra.

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"Well, here we are … our hotel room," Minoru smirked as he twisted open the lock of the room door. He turned and whispered into Sakura's ear, "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this …"

This time, Sakura couldn't keep it in. She gasped as she felt his hands slide down her back, and she pushed him away from her. He looked at her in surprise for a minute but then he smiled, "Excited, hmm?"

Sakura yelped as she was pushed into the room, almost tripping in the process. Minoru came in behind her. He turned and locked the door, making Sakura flinch at the click sound it produced.

"Don't worry, sweetheart …" Minoru said, walking slowly towards her. "No one's going to interrupt us in here. We're all alone."

Sakura stepped backwards till she hit her wall behind her. Shutting her eyes tight, she felt around her dress for the kunai she kept hidden in the layers. Suddenly, Minoru grabbed her arm and pulled it roughly over her head, making her cry out in pain. He then grabbed a handful of her hair, jerking her head to the side. Was he this rough with his wife? He leaned forward and inhaled the scent in her hair, "Oh yeah …"

"Get away from me!" Sakura cried, bringing her knee up for a hit to the groin. It made contact and Minoru, gasping for air, kneeled down to the floor. Sakura saw the opportunity and ran for the door, but Minoru grabbed her ankle, making her fall to the ground. She tried wrenching her ankle away from his clutch but to no avail. He crawled over on top of her, pinning her on the floor. He traced his finger from her jaw line to her collarbone, now madly grinning. "Trust me … you won't feel a thing …"

He gripped her shoulders, fingers emitting chakra digging into her skin and she screamed as he bit into the skin of her throat.

Naruto raced from corner to corner of every street, eyes searching for two people. _Where could she be?_

Worry and despair was building up inside of him as he tried to keep hold of all of his emotions. Images of what probably was happening wouldn't leave his mind and he felt himself growing angrier and most wrathful towards Minoru Junichi.

He slowed down as he entered a crowded street. He had to find her. He just had to. He couldn't let anything hurt her now. Even if he didn't mean anything more than a friend to her, she did to him and he was willing to protect her to any extent. He loved her.

"Boss told me he'd take quite a while," a person spoke up a distance away. Naruto turned to see two men talking to each other just outside a hotel building. He narrowed his eyes and walked closer. He had a feeling he was catching onto something.

The man's companion nodded, "Yeah … this is so boring, having to stay and guard. Who'd want to interrupt him at this moment? No one knows he's here, ninja are searching for him everywhere."

"Did you see his wife just now when they entered? She's sure one hell of a lady, eh?"

The other man laughed, "Sure is. Seemed a little edgy though … What I wouldn't give to run my hand down that silk clad sexy back -"

Before he could finish his sentence, Naruto had reached out and punched him across the face. The blow was so hard that he was thrown backwards, landing hard against a wall.

"What the -" the other man gaped at the sight of his unconscious friend and turned to find Naruto staring at him with furious red eyes. "HEY!"

He screeched in terror as he was ascended into the air by his collar. He could feel heat and tremendous chakra radiating off of him. "What the hell are you -?

"Where is she?" Naruto growled, tightening his grip around the man's neck. "Tell me where he's got her?"

"Who? I don't know what you're talking ab -" the man trailed off as his windpipe started to close.

"MINORU!"

The man gasped for air, "Th – this hotel … h-he's … here … room … sixty-three …"

When he thought he couldn't take it any longer, he was thrown back to the ground. He lay there, coughing and gasping.

Naruto turned around and ran into the hotel room, blood pounding hard. He didn't notice the frightful stares of people around him as he reached the staircase. There was only one goal in his mind, and that was to make Minoru pay with blood money.

Sakura could feel tears welling up in her eyes as Minoru tugged at her kimono, revealing her shoulders inch by inch. She couldn't do anything. She was paralyzed. Everything she had learned about self-defense escaped her mind and now she was suffering the consequences. Minoru was a powerful ninja. All her previous attempts had failed on him. The kunai she had tried to stab him with lay deposited on the floor beside them and her hands were sore from too many failed efforts. His rough hands felt so forceful on her skin, so different from how Naruto's touch felt. A tear slid down her cheeks as the image of the hyperactive ninja came to her mind. He had done a lot for her and meant so much to her, now she realized. More than a friend, more than Sasuke. _I'm so sorry, Naruto …_

She deserved what was happening to her.

"That's it …" Minoru murmured, running his mouth down her neck. "Quiet and silent as always, Kotone-chan. That's how I like it best."

He reached down and gripped the hem of her kimono, chuckling. "You've shaped yourself out while you've been gone."

Before he could go any further, there came a loud crash from behind him. The door was broken off by its hinges and splinters were flying everywhere. Minoru got up off of Sakura and turned around, frowning, "What the fu -"

Sakura gasped as she saw a claw shoot out and knock Minoru backwards against the wall. The impact with the wall made pieces of it crumple away and Minoru sat here, his back squeezed into the orbit.

"N-Naruto!" Sakura cried out. She watched as Naruto crossed the distance between himself and Minoru in less than a second. Naruto punched him swiftly in the stomach when Minoru tried getting up, making blood spurt out from his mouth. Minoru's screams were drowned in the series of hits Naruto laid on him. Dust was covering part of the room.

Sakura shook her head. She couldn't bear to watch anymore. "Naruto!"

She ran forward, reaching out towards him. "NARUTO!"

Naruto paused, sensing something cool wrap itself around his arm. Slowly, he looked around to see Sakura gripping his arm, tears streaking down her face. He glanced down at her hands to see them blistering beneath his hot skin. Hot skin?

"Naruto, please stop …" Sakura muttered. She looked up at him, "It's OK …"

He felt a part of his worry fade away as he studied her carefully. She was alright now. That was all that mattered. She nodded, "It's OK …"

Naruto felt relief washing over him, and immediately after that he felt exhaustion. Exhaustion that made him kneel over slightly, feeling light-headed. Sakura supported him against her as he stumbled, feeling weak all of a sudden. He buried his head against her neck.

After a while, he spoke up, "Was I …?"

He wasn't all that surprised to find his voice had a tad of a growl to it. He swallowed hard and tried again, "Was I ..."

"No, you weren't …" Sakura said. "Halfway through, but not there. I didn't see a tail …"

"What happened to… ?"

"He's …" Sakura turned to look at the corpse of Minoru dug into the hole in the wall. "He's gone now."

Naruto nodded and leaned back slightly to look at her properly, "Are … are you alright? I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan …"

Instead of giving an answer, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace. Naruto stood there for moment, feeling immensely calmed.

"Thank you, Naruto …"

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"Mission accomplished." Tsunade looked across at Naruto and Sakura from where she sat on her desk, and she put down the report onto the desk. "I must say, it's a job well done. Toshihiro-san is very grateful."

They both nodded. When they told Toshihiro about what happened to Minoru, he was relieved and thankful both. It also led to them being recommended more by other chief lords. Toshihiro had also taken care of the damage done by Naruto to the hotel and any other trouble that had been sparked up. His influence was to thank for that.

Naruto and Sakura stayed for another day in Tanzaku, partly to recover and partly to think over what had happened. Naruto offered no explanation of his rage and Sakura needed none. She already knew what had been on his mind. It only added as more proof to how much he would do for her.

"You must be tired now," Tsunade looked them over. "I'll call you in if there's anything I need from you. Naruto, get to the hospital … you too, Sakura. Dismissed."

Naruto and Sakura stood up and went to the door. Tsunade spoke up behind them, "Sakura … I'm glad you're back safe."

Sakura nodded back at her, smiling, "Yes, Tsunade-shishou."

When they came out of the tower, Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand. "Naruto … can I talk to you?"

"Erm …" Naruto nodded. "Sure."

"Konichiwa," a voice spoke up from behind them. They turned around to see Sasuke looking at them with a slight smile on his face. He had his hands dug deep in his pockets and looked a little … angry?

"Teme," said Naruto, grinning. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he looked down at Sakura and nodded towards the Uchiha, "He probably missed you while you were away … go to him."

He expected her to release her hold on his hand and walk away, but to his surprise, she just held it tighter. He stared at Sasuke to see his eyes studying their intertwined hands.

"Naruto, I need to talk to you …" Sakura said. She bit her lip, "And … and you too, Sasuke-kun."

She fixed her gaze onto both of them, determined to finish this. She wanted to take back all the pain she might have caused them. She had made a decision, and she could only hope for the best outcome.

"Sasuke-kun," she said. "I … I haven't been the best girlfriend to you. When we started dating, I thought I was the luckiest girl. But … that changed. And …"

She looked at Naruto, who was gazing back with a thoughtful expression. She continued, her eyes lowered to the ground, "And … I guess what I wanted wasn't exactly what I needed. What I'm trying to say is …"

"You're breaking up with me." Sasuke interrupted.

Sakura's eyes flew open and she stared at Sasuke, horrified. Naruto's reaction matched hers. He was staring back, his face completely neutral. He said, "It wasn't till I came back to Konoha after my mission, that I realized just how oblivious I was to not notice the two of you _secretly_ together."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked. "No one was supposed to know about … us …"

"Yeah, no one does know about you," Sasuke said. He sighed, "There was something different in your eyes, Sakura … when I visited you a few nights ago. I couldn't sense that feeling when I saw you. And I realized that it was slowly fading away."

Sakura blinked. She couldn't believe Sasuke could read her that easily.

"Then I found that I was replaced. Now I know who by …" he looked at Naruto with raised brows. "Looks like you got your wish …"

Sakura turned to Naruto and was surprised to find him frowning. He shook his head and glared at Sasuke, "I don't want to be made a replacement."

"You're not!" Sakura said, turning him so he faced her. She stared right at him, her emerald-green eyes hard around the edges. "I've never thought of you as a replacement, Naruto! I'm sorry if you thought I have – but never!

You're completely different! You may be an idiot but you're when I said you were predictable back at the restaurant, I was wrong! You've proved us all wrong!"

Naruto gazed at her, speechless. Never had he ever imagined she'd say something like that. And with such feeling too. He clenched his fists. "Sakura-chan …"

"After you told me you didn't want me to continue this that night, I had done a lot of thinking. You're not the one who has to apologize, because you're right. I have to. And … I'm so stupid. I can't believe I only just realized this."

"Realized what?" Naruto didn't have time to ponder over what she had realized, because she suddenly planted a kiss on his lips. It was brief and chaste, but there was meaning to it. It was not like any other kiss they had shared.

"OK?" Sakura whispered as she pulled away. Smiling at his grin, she said, "You helped me open my eyes Naruto. And I've chosen. You helped me see what was right in front of me … and I know Sasuke-kun would understand … Would you?"

Naruto lowered his eyes, letting a true smile grace his features, "Definitely …"

Sasuke turned around, "Well … that's that."

"Sasuke-kun …" Sakura looked at him. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. But I'd rather break up with you than hurt you."

Sasuke shook his head, "Who says I'm sad? Its fine … I'll meet you two in the training grounds tomorrow. I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on."

Naruto and Sakura watched as he walked away, the breeze blowing his dark hair back. As he turned a corner, Naruto turned to Sakura, smiling, "He actually took it well, that Sasuke."

Sakura nodded, "Yeah. He did … I could have done this earlier but I was just so confus-"

She was suddenly cut off by Naruto's lips on her own. He brought his arm around her and pulled her closer. Her eyes fluttered shut and she responded, oblivious to everything around her.

A distance away, two pairs of eyes were watching the new couple.

"Does this mean Sasuke-kun's single now?" Ino asked from where she stood next to her lazy friend. She nibbled on a dumpling absentmindedly.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "So troublesome …"

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_Author's Note: Whew!! It's done! It's like 3:28 AM, and I'm typing like crazy to get it finished! So here it is! Hope you liked it. My first finished fanfiction!!_

_Btw, I know Sakura would have handled the situation with Minoru just fine but because she thought he was too strong of a shinobi (which he was) and also because of her guilty conscience, she had problems!_

_Yeah, and Sakura did not sleep with Sasuke. The only reason she thought she was a slut was because she was leading on two guys at once and was hurting one of them by doing so. __**Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain**__**,**__ thanks for telling me this point, it reminded me of something I should have written long ago ____:D _

_I'd also like to thank __**xXbeautifullyshatteredXx**__**, **__**wind797**__**, **__**zaisuro**__**,**____**uzukun7**__**, **__**jayenator2.0**__**,**____** Blossoming Beauty.**__**, **__and____**Sevensin**_ _for all the awesome reviews you guys posted! ^^_

_OK, please do leave a review! I'll get started on another NaruSaku soon! ^^_

_JA!_


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